Bariatric Center
Where losing is winning.
Call 201.225.7130 for an appointment.
For decades, the U.S. has faced a growing obesity epidemic. Currently, obesity affects 39.6% of American adults and 18.5% of children. According to the American Medical Association, obesity is a body mass index of 30 or greater. There are many significant health consequences associated with this condition, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal disorders, and even an elevated risk for certain cancers.
Bariatric surgery - the surgical treatment of obesity - has become an essential option for patients unable to lose weight through diet and exercise alone. As reported by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, since 2016, more than 200,000 Americans per year have been treated with bariatric surgery.
At Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, our compassionate and experienced bariatric team can help you realize your weight loss goal and help improve your health and overall well-being.
Is Bariatric Surgery Right for You?
Bariatric surgery can be an essential tool to significantly improve people's lives suffering from obesity and related health problems. Several different types of surgical options are available, all of which are performed laparoscopically and allow for a faster recovery and quicker return to work or school. Most patients spend only one or two nights in the hospital and return to regular activity within a few weeks.
Your overall health status and other factors can determine if bariatric surgery is the right choice. You may be a candidate if:
- You have a BMI at or above 40 or are more than 100 pounds overweight.
- You have a BMI of at least 35 and at least one or more obesity-related co-morbidities, such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
- You cannot achieve sustained weight loss despite prior weight loss efforts.
Those who achieve the most success still exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet. It is standard practice for doctors to implement patient lifestyle changes before the surgery. These modifications, combined with surgery, can help patients lose substantial weight and improve their quality of life. After losing considerable weight, patients commonly report benefits such as:
- Improvement or elimination of Type 2 diabetes
- Resolution of sleep apnea
- Improved fertility
- Depression relief
- Reduction in joint pain